Pump-regulating mechanism.



R. CONRADER.

PUMP HEGULATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9. I9Ialv Patented May 22, 1917.

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PUMP REGULATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR.9,1913.

1 ,226,752. Patented May 22, 19147.

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il xL EATENT @FFIE RUDOLPH CONRADER, ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed April 9, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH CoNnADnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, inthe county of Erie and State of -l.)ennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pump Regulating Mechanisms, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to pump regulating mechanisms and consists in certain improvementsin the construction thereof as will be hereinafter fully described and pointed out in the claims.

It has been common practiceheretofore to provide relief devices for pumps. This is a well-known mechanism and its function is to stop or decrease the pumping action of the pump to `prevent .an accumulation of pressure in the discharge.4 There are two general'types of these devices, one operating on the discharge of the compressor cylinder'l and by the control of the discharge valves stopping thel pumping ac tion or allowingythe pumped fluid'tolwaste and the other operating uponthe intake of the receiver' andthus controlling the' pumping action of a compressor. In connection with these relief devices means have been provided for controlling the valve of (the pump motor so that when the relief is thrown in and the pump'is relieved of its load, the controlling valve of the motor is closed so that the motor will deliver power in proportion tothe load. These devices controlling the motor valve in connection with the relief device of the pump have been arranged to be effective within the normal .range of discharge pressures. They have been faulty, however, with relation to controlling the motor at intermediate pressures below the desired or normal discharge pressure. pump would either run away when it was started with no receiver pressure or theV pressure suddenly dropped, or this has been obviated by the manual control by the operator.

The object of this invention is to auto? matically retard the opening of the motor valve so as to have it conform to the discharge pressure, that is to say, the valve is gradually opened asthe discharge pressure rises so that the `motor receives power gradually increasing as the load increases. After the discharge pressure reaches the normal pressure, the `valve is operated as Specicaton of Letters Patent The result has been ythat the Patented May 22, i917.

Serial No. 760,017.

heretofore in conjunction with and according to the action of the relief device.

y In an accompanying application I have shown a relief vdevice operating 'on the intake of a pump having mechanism accomplisliing the objects broadly heretofore stated andi have claimed therein broadly the mechanism for retarding the opening of the controlling valve until the receiver pressure reached normal. This yapplication is directed to a relief device operating upon the discharge of the pump and in illus` trating the invention, I have as far as practical `followed the relief device. for a co1npresser operating by controlling `the discharge valves shown and described in the patent to ,Henry (l. 'Sergeant #514,839 dated Feb.l 1,3, 1894i, which patent shows a relief device lof this' type which is wellknown.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings as follows Figure l represents an elevation partly in section of part of an air compressor cylinder, the throttle valve for its operating engine and a regulator' embodying my invention. A

FigQQ represents a central vertical section, taken'at right angles to Fig. l in the line 2 2 of the regulator and its appurtenances which constitute essential elements of my invention.

Fig. 3 represents a central vertical section of the regulator valve.

Fig. 4 represents a vertical section at right angles to Fig. 2 in the line Ll---i of that figureas viewed from the left.

Fig. 5 represents a horizontal section in the line 5-5 of Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

Figs. 2, 3, 4- and 5 are all on a scale larger than that ofy Fig. l.

` Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts iny all the figures.

.A is the compressor cylinder having heads A. A which are made hollow to form discharge chests which are in free communication through a discharge passage A2. arranged lengthwise of the cylinder with the discharge pipe A3 through which the compressed airpasses to a receiver R, (Fig. l). The discharge valves B, only one of which is shown, through which the compressed air is delivered from the-compressor cylinder into the discharge chest withinthe cylinder heads A, are of the puppet type and close into conical seats in .the inner walls of their` respective cylinder heads. The said valves are represented as of cylindrical form or having combined with them pistons to work in cylinders t formed or provided in the outer walls of the hollow cylinder heads A, said cylinders a being closed at their outer ends by removable caps a. which serve as abutments for coil springs Z9 which operate to close the valves.

C is the shell of the throttle valve through which steam is supplied to the operating engine, and D is the throttle valve. To the stem 0l of this throttle valve is aliixed a piston c which works in a corresponding cylinder c afixed `to the shell C of the throttle valve carried by the frame C.

A screw b2 extends through the body C in the path of the valve D. By adjusting this screw the limit of movement of the valve may be controlled.

A spring c2 is arranged in the cylinder o' and opposes the movement of the piston c. This spring is so proportioned that with a full normal receiver pressure, the piston is moved so as to fully open the valve D and with the release of receiver pressure Linder the action of the relief device the valve is immediately closed through the action of the spring c2. In addition to this, the spring is so tensioned and adjusted that it retards the opening of the valve D under the inluence of pressure on the piston c so that the opening of the valve is graduated to the load on the compressor, in other words, graduated to the pressure in the receiver. In the relief device shown and described in the Sergeant patent heretofore referred to means are provided for actuating the valve D with the receiver operating within normal limits, that is, when the relief device is thrown in the valve is closed or brought to its position of minimum opening and the compressor runs with no load until the receiver pressure falls to the predetermined minimum when the relief device is thrown out of action and the receiver pressure again turned in to the cylinder c and the valve D is opened. The diliiculty with this mechanism, however, is that as soon as a very slight receiver pressure is developed the valve D is fully opened and with this slight load and the full regulating valve the compressor will run away unless restrained by same means controlled by the operator. )Vith my device these intermediate pressures are automatically taken care of by the action of the spring c2 which retards the opening of the valve D so as to give to the compressor motor just sufficient steam to take care of the load as the receiver pressure kbuilds up.

The details of the relief device and the Vactuating mechanism therefor as shown venience taken from that patent the detailed description of it which is as follows j E is a cylindrical valve box containing a slide valve F which constitutes the main valve of the regulator. This main valve F which is fitted to slide without turning on a fixed central spindle E, is an ordinary short D-valve provided with piston heads f f which fit the cylindrical box E. The seat of the said main valve is in the cylindrical box E and represented at the bottom thereof, and has in it two ports g and 71. of which 71, is open to the atmosphere and g is in communication with an outside passage g which is always in communication both with the outer ends of the discharge valve cylinders a of the compressor and with the pipe c of the throttle valve motor cylinder 0, the communication with the valve cylinders being by two pipes g2 branching off in opposite directions from said passage g', and one of the said pipes g2 having the said pipe e connected with it. The said main valve is operated by the pressure on one or other of its pistons f f, of air admitted at the ends of the valve box E through ports z' z" in said box under the control of an auxiliary slide valve Gr (Figs. 2, l and 5) in a .valve box H which is arranged on one side of the main valve box E and which is always open to the latter box between the pistons f f through passages j y" (Fig. 5) and therefore always open to the receiver through the pipe On the top of the auxiliary valve box H is a cylinder I which is open at the bottom to said box and to this cylinder which is open at the top to the atmosphere is fitted a piston .I at the top of which is a flange 7c which may rest on the top of the said cylinder to prevent the piston from descending below a certain point. The auxiliary valve box H and cylinder I are represented (see Figs. 2 and 4) as one casting and as bolted to the compressor cylinder A by bolts 29 p (see Fig. l) passing through lugs g g (see Figs. l and 4) on the sides of the said cylinder I. The main valve box E is represented as bolted to and supported by the auxiliaryI valve box I-I.

The piston I is connected directly with the auxiliary valve G and may be considered as a motor for said auxiliary valve for` producing the operation of said valve by which air is admitted through the ports z' z" to the main valve chest to act upon the pistons f f to throw the said valve in either direction. The seat for the valve Gr is formed one one side of the main valve box E, and has in it as shown in Fig. 5, three ports i* 2"* and Z of which i* 2"* communicate respectively with the ports z' z" hereinbefore mentioned, as may be traced by the dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 5, and Z which is an exhaust port communicates with the atmosphere as shown in full outline in Fig. 2 and dotted in Fig. 3. The auxiliary valve Gr has two ports u n which run through it and two coves o o in its face, the upper one oof `Which is arranged to bring the port into communication With said port Z.

The i, piston I is loaded in any suitable manner as 4for instance by Weights m (see Fig. l) hung on a lever It'. fulcrumed as shown at r in Fig. 2, on the top of the cylinder I, the Weights being so adjusted as to hold down the piston until the pressure in the receiver acting on the under side of the piston exceeds a certain determined degree and then to be lifted by said pressure for the purpose of shifting the auxiliary valve and therebyk causing the shifting of the main valve to a position in which it opens the pipe c to the atmosphere through the pipes g2, passage g and ports g and 7L (Fig. 8) as will be presently explained, and so relieve the outer side of the piston c of the throttle valve motor of the pressure of the air in the receiver to which it is/ subject in the normal condition of the said pressure and in the normal position of the motor piston I and the auxiliary and main valves G and F.

The Anormal condition and positions above referred to are illustrated in the drawings, in which the auxiliary valve is represented as admitting compressed air from the receiver through the port n to the port i* in its seat (see Fig. 5) and thence through the port z of the valve casing E (see also Fig. 3) the pressure of the air being outside the left hand piston 7 and the port at ther' right hand end of the casing E being in communication with the atmosphere through the port zw, the cove o of the auxiliary valve (see Figs. 2 and 3) and the exhaust port Z. On the pressure rising in the receiver beyond the desired degree, the motor piston I is raised taking with it the'valve Gr as high as permitted by stops r r2 provided for the valve in the chest II and the compressed air, with which it Will be understood the valve chests E II are always filled behind their respective valves, Will be admitted through the port n to the port 2"* and thence to the port c" of the main valve chest, the port z' being in the meantime brought intocommunication With the atmosphere through the port if, the cove o of the auxiliary valve and the. exhaust port Z. The main valve then moves to the left and produces communication through its cove s between the ports f/ and it, thus bringing the passage f/,the pipes g2 g2 e and the outer end of the throttle valve motor cylinder into communication with the atmosphere. The throttling valve is then caused to close or contract its opening by the action of the spring c2 upon it and the velocity of the motor engine and of the compressor is reduced.

,It has been hereinbefore mentioned that the pipes g2 g2 which are in communication with the main valve box E communicate iviththe spaces in the discharge valve cylinders c in rear of the discharge valves. It may therefore be understood that when the compressor is Working normally the backs of the said valves will always be subject to the pressure of air in the receiver but When the main valve is shifted as before described to open the communication with the atmosphere through the ports g it, the backs of the discharge valves are relieved from all pressure but that of the atmosphere and the slight pressure of the springs b and the air which is compressed before the piston at each stroke and so caused to open and pass said valves passes through pipes g2, the passage g and ports g L to the atmosphere.

What I claim as nenT is l. In a pump regulating mechanism, the combination of a relief device adapted to act on the discharge of the pump to unload the pump; a controlling valve for the pump motor; and controlling means for said valve opening and closing said valve as the relief device operates, said means being subjected 'to pressures varying as the discharge pressure varies and varying the opening of the valve as the discharge pressure varies.

2. In a pump regulating mechanism, the combination of a relief device adapted to act on the discharge of the pump to unload the pump; a controlling valve for the compressor motor; a valve motor actuating said valve, said valve motor being subjected through the relief device to discharge pressure and acting under said pressure to open the valve and being relieved of said pressure by the relief device to permit the closing of the valve; and a spring opposing the opening action of the motor, said spring varying in resistance to vary the opening of the valve as the discharge pressure varies.

3. In a pump regulating mechanism, the combination of a pump cylinder; discharge valves therefor; discharge connections leading to said valves for subjecting them normally to discharge pressure; a relief device subjected to discharge pressure and vadapted when actuated 'to cut 01T said dis- `the valve and relieved of receiver pressure by the relief device to permit the closing of the valve; and means exerting pressure to close the valve and said pressure offering a varying resistance to the movement of the motor opening the valve to make the opening` of the valve follovT the discharge pres- SUI'G.

ance opposing; the opening action of the motor whereby the valve opens gradually with'the increase of discharge pressure from below normal.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing 4. In a pump regulating mechanism, the combination of a relief device adapted to act on the discharge of the pump to unload the pump; a controlling Valve for the pump motor; a valve motor actuating said Valve, said Valve motor being` subjected through the relier1 device to discharge pressure and witnesses.

acting` under said pressure tofopen the Valve RUDOLPH CONRADER. and being relieved of said pressure by the ldfitnesses:

relief device to permit the closing of the B. M. HARTMAN,

valve; and means exerting a Varying resist- V. C. HEss.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

